Batteries, such as lithium or lithium-ion batteries, may experience thermal runaway under certain conditions, e.g., when defective, damaged, overcharged, overheated, etc. When a battery experiences thermal runaway, the battery may increase in temperature until the battery vents hot, pressurized gases (e.g., at approximately 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). While venting gas, the battery may continue to increase in temperature (e.g., up to approximately 1,000 to 1,050 degrees Fahrenheit). Jets of flaming materials (e.g., flaming liquid electrolyte) and/or smoke may also be produced and vented from the battery. Sufficient heat, gases, and/or flames may be produced to lead to the combustion and destruction of materials in close proximity to the battery, such as the package surrounding the battery.
Multiple batteries are often stored and packaged together in a single package for transport and/or other applications. However, when one battery in the package experiences thermal runaway, the high heat, gases, and/or flames produced by the battery may contact and/or heat adjacent batteries in the same package, causing the adjacent batteries to overheat and experience thermal runaway as well. A chain reaction may occur as each battery experiencing thermal runaway may cause adjacent batteries to also experience thermal runaway. Thus, if a battery undergoing thermal runaway is surrounded by one or more additional batteries in a package, then a single thermal runaway event may lead to the thermal runaway of multiple batteries which, in turn, may lead to more extensive collateral damage. For example, the package containing the batteries may be destroyed, and when multiple batteries are undergoing thermal runaway, temperatures up to approximately 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit may be reached. Thus, thermal runaway is a concern since a single incident in one battery may lead to significant property damage and, in some circumstances, bodily harm or loss of life.
The disclosed method and system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.